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John McDonnell
John McDonnell John Martin McDonnell is a British politician, currently serving as a Labour MP for the Hayes & Harlington constituency after winning the seat in the 1997 general election. He has also been the Shadow Chancellor of The Labour Party since 2005, and Chairman of the Momentum Political Movement since 2006. Identifying openly as a Marxist, McDonnell has acted as a leading voice against the capitalist ideologies of major political groups, such as the Conservative Party. McDonnell has long since been evolving his perception of an equal society and stood up against the Thatcher governments of the 1980s while serving as a member of the Greater London Council, (later becoming deputy leader) and being a primary target of opposition besides Labour parliamentarians. Since becoming an MP, McDonnell has engaged in many events, such as giving the closing speech of the 2005 Labour Party Conference and participating in social media debates. McDonnell has been seen by many in the Labour Party to be a key figure on the left-wing of the party, noting his ambitions for nationalisation and worker policies. Early Life Born in Liverpool, England, McDonnell was raised as a Catholic having come from a background of Irish Catholicism. After obtaining a broad education at Great Yarmouth Grammar School, McDonnell began training to become a catholic priest and later attended St Joseph's College in Ipswich. At age 16, McDonnell decided against the vocation as he "basically discovered girlfriends, so celibacy wasn't going to be an option. I was also into politics." McDonnell has since described himself as an atheist and non-religious, choosing to affirm his allegiance to the Queen after becoming an MP. Later, McDonnell pursued studying A-levels at night school at Burnley Technical College, and at the age of 23, moved to Hayes in Greater London and attended Brunel University, earning a bachelor's degree in government and politics. McDonnell then went on to represent the National Union of Public Employees and later an official with the National Union of Mineworkers from 1977 to 1978. McDonnell then went on to participate in many other socialist groups and communities before being elected to the Greater London Council in 1981, kickstarting his true political career. Member of Parliament (1997-Present) After winning the Hayes and Harlington constituency in the 1997 general election, with 62 per cent of the vote and a majority of over 14,000, he has been involved in many local community campaigns including the opposition to the expansion of Heathrow Airport. McDonnell was also a clear anti-war voice within the Labour Party, vehemently opposing the deployment of troops in Iraq. Political Views McDonnell's economic policies stem from inspiration from Marx, Lenin and Trotsky, claiming they were his "most significant" intellectual influences. He has also been a key opposition to the fundamentals of capitalism, saying on social media in 2005, "Capitalism has only caused inequality, market failure, damage to the environment, short-termism, excess materialism, and uncontrolled economic cycles." McDonnell has been an outspoken advocate for the nationalisation of many public services, including the railways. He stated his belief that monopolies "only exist to harm to wealth and prosperity of millions of working-class people. It is unbelievable that such vital public services can be used to shove people below the poverty line." Accompanying this was his championship of increasing taxes for the wealthiest in the country, claiming "Yes, rich should pay more tax. Hoarding millions and leaving people on the streets is not how to work an economy." Personal Life McDonnell has two daughters and a son following his marriage to Cynthia Pinto in 1995, claiming "they are my pride and joy, everything I do is for them." McDonnell owns a regular home in his Hayes and Harlington constituency despite accusations of owning multiple homes across the country worth "millions."